GHANA

Roots and tubers occupy a strategic niche in the Ghanaian agriculture. Smallholders grow them both for household food security and cash crops. It contributes 44% to agricultural GDP and 25% of overall GDP. The relevance of Yam in Ghana as an important cash crop and a staple food cannot be under estimate. In fact, Ghana is the third largest producer of yams in the world, behind Nigeria and Cote d'Ivoire. Ghana produced approximately 4 million metric tons of yam in 2005, compared to approximately 34 million metric tons produced in Nigeria and 5 million metric tons produced in Cote d'Ivoire. Following Ghana is Benin, with a production of about 2.1 million metric tons, and Colombia, Brazil, and Japan with smaller quantities of production at around 200,000 metric tons in 2005. Yam is an extremely vital crop, not only to the domestic market but also to the export market. Domestically, it is not only a main source of income, but it is a staple crop vital to food security. Internationally,..